Apparatus for the manufacture of printing plates



May 16, 193.9. 1 H, SHEA 2,158,158

APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PRINTING PLATES Filed April 20, 1935 9 sheets-sheet 1' lliill 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. H. SHEA APPARATUS Foa THE MANUFACTURE 0F PRINTING PLATES Filed April 20, 1955 May 16, 1939.

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APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACYTURE OF PRINTING PLATESI Filed April 20, 1955 9 sheets-,Sheet 4 T-Lf.

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J. H. SHEA 2,158,158 E MANUFACTURE OF PRINTING PLATES May 16, 1939.

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APPARATUS `FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PRINTING PLATES Filed April 20, 1955 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 vwentoz JOSEPH H. S HEA @Home Patented May 16, 1939 APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PRINTING PLATES Joseph Henry Shea, Baldwin, N. Y. Application April 20, 1935, Serial No. 17,410

15 Claims.

This invention relates broadly to the art of printing and more particularly to a process and apparatus for backing plates or other metallic members bearing indicia by which an impression,

as in printing, may be made. By the term plates or other metallic members bearing indicia by which an impression may be made, it is intended to cover any instrumentality bearing configurations such as illustrations, pictorial or otherwise,

or type either in the original or in reverse, as electrotypes, halftones, originals, zinc etchings, Linotype, Monotypes, pattern plates and other indicia by which impressions may be made whether for use in the final or an intermediate step in printing, or any other impression making art.

This application is a continuation in part of vmy copending application Serial Number 396,989, now Patent Number 2,022,156, November 26, 1935.

Heretofore, electrotypes have been prepared for use in printing by providing the etched copper plate with a flange about its periphery and securing the plate to a wooden block by means of nails driven through the flange into the wood. In

use, after many impressions have been run off from the electrotype, the nails work loose and sometimes pull part way out of the blocks so that the heads of the nails are in or above the plane of the etched face of the plate and receive ink during the inking of the plate and form blurs on the paper when subsequent impressions are made. This method of securing the electrotype to the wood block has the further disadvantage that the wooden block must be made oversize by reason of the marginal securing ange, thus forming, in printing, a blank space around the impression since the type cannot be set close to the subject matter depicted on the plate because of the flange.

It is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus by which an improved method of securing the etched plate to the Wooden block may be carried out and thus avoid the requirement of a marginal flange, thereby reducing the size of the block and doing away with the blank space about the impression. In accordance with this method, there is provided a wooden block which may be of exactly the same size as the etched matter on the plate. To one face of this 5c wooden block there is secured a sheet or plate adhesive to solder, preferably of copper, as by nails, conveniently double headed, passing through the plate into the wood. 'Io this metal plate the etched plate is secured by an adhesive,

es as by solder, preferably by interposing tin foil between the etched plate and the plate secured to the wood block and subjecting the assembled plates to heat and pressure in the apparatus of this invention.

The invention also has to do with an apparatus for carrying out a method of securing inserts or patches or corrections, as they are sometimes called, is an electrotype. Heretofore, when it has been desired to correct a portion of an electrotype, that portion to be'corrected has been cut out 10 of the electrotype and a new etched plate portion b earing the subject matter to be substituted, of substantially the same shape and size as the cutout portion, has been inserted and soldered to the 15 original plate at pointsaround the edges. This has usually been accomplished by laying the electrotype face downward on a suitable flat surface and applyingthe solder to the joints on the back side ci the plate by running a stick of solder and a soldering iron over the same in the usual meth- 20 od of soldering. In printing, there is a certain degree of flexing of the electrotype when impressions are being made and after a number of impressions have been made, the soldered joints break, necessitating a cessation of printing while 25 the electrotype is returned to the bench to have the joints resoldered. When one orv more inserts occur in the same electrotype, a day or more may be required each time the joints must be resoldered, thus increasing the expense of printing ma- 30 terially. By the present apparatus there is provided an electrotype in which corrections may be inserted which will withstand the stresses and strains set up by the flexing of the electrotype during printing and inwhich correctionsmaybemade 35 with a minimum of time and eiort and which, after once being made, will not work loose and require resoldering. The electrotype is backed by a sheet or plate of metal to whichv both plate and insert may be secured over its entire sur- 40 face-` Thus matter inserted in a cut-out portion is rmly secured to the backing plate and an integral corrected electrotype is formed. More particularly, the electrotype with the inserts in place, is superimposed upon a backing plate oi the same 45 size, with, say, tin foil therebetween, and the whole subjected to heat and pressure, thereby fusing the tin foil and forming a solid composite structure which will resist all strains and stresses and. can be used for any'n'umber of impressions without the insert working loose. l

In the manufacture of electrotypes for the printing of books, magazines and the like it is the practice to rst set up the printed matter on a Linotype machine. The linotypes assembled in Y bench for building up;

consecutive order are then'blocked up into chases .and taken to the foundry where a wax matrix is suspended in an electrotype for approximately` two hours time until a copper shell has been deposited in the depressions in the matrix in which impression it is held by means of the iron fillings. This copper shell has the same configuration as the original block of Linotype. This electroplated impression or electrotype shell is then taken to the backing-up room Where tinfoil is laid over the concave surface of the shell and ladles of V molten metal poured thereinto to form a backing for thecopper shell. Thereafter the back is planed by a roughing machine and after that an electrotype finisher, as he is called, rubs over the face of the electrotype with a rubber roller to locate any low spots, and then hammers the plate until theV front face of the type lies in the same plane so that impressions may be printed therefrom. By the apparatus of this invention, there iseliminated practically all of the steps herebefore described and there is` utilized, directly, the type as it issues from a Linotype or a Monotype `machine for the printing ofy impressions. Either Linotype or Monotype, of proper height is soldered directly to al backing sheet'to form the plate taking the place of the electrotype from which impressions are made in the printing of therbook or magazine pages. More particularly, the type, eitherV Linotype or Monotype, is arranged inV proper sequence in a frame upon a backing plate with tin foil or other adhesive forming material therebetween and the whole united by subjection to heat and pressure to produce the desired plate from which the impressions are made. If desired, the-type face of the plate may be copperA plated to Withstand hard usage. f

The apparatus of Ythis invention provides a method whereby the electrotypes as heretofore described and other indicia bearing plates may be expeditiously manufactured. A heated platen may be placed upon. the assembled electrotype and backing sheet, causing the' tin foil to meltv and', when pressure is applied, run evenly over the entire interior surfaces, after which theas-Y sembly may be quenched and the integral electrotype results.Y If desired, a second heated platen may be placed beneath the backing sheet in car- Y rying out .the method.

The Vinvention seeks apparatus Vby which the aforesaid method may be carriedk out. To this end, apparatus which consists; preferably, of upy per and lower platens, conveniently hinged to'- gether, are adapted to be heated, as desired, to a predetermined temperature. Upon the bottom platen is then sheet or backing plate and upon Yits upper face one or more sheets of tin foil are then disposed and the electrotypefplaced thereupon face upwardly. The upper platen may then be closed down upon the electrotype and the Ytwo platens clamped together. After a suitable interval of time to allow for a heat. transfer from the platens 'to the work during the pressure, the WorkV is cooled. as by quenching in a tank and upon open.-4

placed, forV example, the lower Y ing the platens, the reenforced or backed electrotype will be found to be an integral structure capable of withstanding the hardest usage.

These and other objects of the invention and Y the means for Vtheir attainment will be more aption may be realized, and in which:

Figure 1 is a View in side elevation showing whereby electrotypes or other metallic members from which impressions may Figure 5 is a transverse sectional View taken in the Yplane indicated by the line 5-5 of Figure 1,

looking in the direction of the arrows-and showing particularly, the locationof platens at the step of quenching or cooling the works;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectionalview showing the platens by which the Work is heated and pressed together; Y

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view taken in the plane indicated by the line 1*'1 of Figure 6 look- Figure 8 is a fragmentary view inY end elevation taken in the plane indicated by the line 8`8 of Figure 6, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary View on an enlarged scale of the upper left hand portion of the apparatus illustrated in'Figure 1 showing the upper platen in position tobe heated in Ya situation where the respective platens are relatively widely spaced;

Figure 10 is a fragmentaryrview in a transverse vertical plane taken in the plane indicated by the line ID-I El of Figure 9, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 9 but showing a situation mounted as to be relatively close together; Y Figure 121s a fragmentary sectional View taken in the plane indicated by the line |2|2 of Figure 1'1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 13 is a fragmentary view in plan of that of Figure 13;

Figure 15 is a fragmentary view showing the valve and its actuating mechanism by which the flow'of cooling fluid is controlled;

Figure 16 is a fragmentary View in side elevation taken in the Vplanes indicated by the broken line |6-l5 of Figure 15, looking in the direction of the arrows; Y e

Figure 17 is a plan view showing the heat in which the platens are so responsive devices by `which the heating of the platens is automatically controlled; Y

Figure 18 is a view in the apparatus of Figure 17 and taken in the plane indicated bythe line I 8-.18 of that figure; and'V on the bolts by means Figure 19 is a fragmentary view of the heat responsive element, partly in section and partly in elevation taken in the plane indicated by the line |9-I9 of Figure 17.

A suitable apparatus by which the method of manufacturing the work here under consideration may be carried out is illustrated in the drawings. The top and bottom platens, 3| and 38, respectively, are shown as forming what has been termed a carriage mounted upon runners 48 and hinged together as at 4|. To receive the Work, the top platen 3| is folded back to the position shown in Figure 1 and either the top or bottom platen or both platens are heated as desired. After the platen or platens are heated to the desired degree, the work indicated generally at E, Figure 5, is placed upon the bottom platen 38, the top platen 3| closed down and the platens clamped together. After a predetermined period of time during which the work E is subjected to heat and pressure, the carriage may be moved quickly into the bath 43 and there cooled, whereafter it may be removed, opened and the work E removed.

The top and bottom platen 3|, 38 are preferably rectangular in form, the bottom platen 38 being formed with the runners 40 which rest upon the track or ways 45. At one end at each carrier, the bottom platen 3B is formed with a split bearing boss 48,1which boss 48 is provided with a vertical bore 149 and a horizontal bore 58 extending thereinto from the outside. The vertical bore 49 receives a spindle which is adjustable therewithin and held in place by means of a set screw 52 threaded into the horizontal bore 50 and locked in position by means of the lock nut 53. On the top platen is mounted, in spaced relation, a pair of ears 54 forming the outside elements of the hinge and receiving the hinge pin 4|. On this hinge pin 4| is pivotally mounted the other hinge member 55 formed as an ear on the spindle 5|.

On the opposite ends ofthe platens are the clamp members by which pressure is applied to the work E. In this instance, two clamps are shown on each end. Protruding from the bottom platen 30, in spaced relation, are lugs B8 formed with vertical apertures receiving upwardly extending bolts 6| adjustably secured in the apertures by means of the nuts 62 above and below the lugs 69. The upper platen 3| is provided with spaced or slotted lugs 64, or clamp abutments which, when the platens are in closed position, extend upon opposite sides respectively of the bolts 9| and these abutments 64 are drawn downwardly of elongated cross-members or bridges 65 carried with the respective bolts 6| and held in adjusted or clamping position by means of the nuts 52. The bridges 65 are turned to clamp the platens by means of any suitable wrench, such as the socket wrench 68 shown in Figure 3 of the drawings.

The two clamping platens 38, 3|, hinged together, form a sort of carriage, the flanges 40 of which rest upon tracks or ways 45 one end of each of which is carried by the longitudinal frame members 80 of the machine. These tracks 45 extend in the horizontal direction to support the carriage at loading position, and then enter an opening 1 Figure 5, in one wall of the quenching tank 43 to the position above the bottom of the tank so that the carriage 38, 3| entering the tank 43 through the opening 1| travels on the tracks to the quenching position below the liquid sprays 14 in the tank. To maintain the liquid for the tank at the proper quenching temperature, it may be replenished through the valve controlled inlet 15 and evacuated by means of the outlet 16 in the bottom. To protect the operator of the machine, the tank may be provided with a cover 11 as shown, which is easily removed, when necessary. The tank may be supported on end frame brackets 18 carried with the frame members 80 all supported on vertical frame members 89. Between the vertical planes of the frame members 88 and at the end opposite to that of the tank 43, brackets 82 support the fuel burners 83 adapted to heat the bottom platen 38. Also carried with the frame is a post 85 having at the top a movable or adjustable stop 86 upon which the upper platen 3| rests when in open position.

Also carried with the runners 48 are racks 46 in mesh with pinions 42 carried on a transverse shaft 43' rotated by the handle wheel 44 whereby the carriage is moved from one end of the machine to the other by the operator.

The bracket 84 carries a manifold 81 provided with a plurality of burners 88 adapted to heat the upper platen 3| when in the position of Figure 3, which manifold communicates with thefuel feed pipe 89 connecting with pipe 9| to the manifold 99 supplying the burners 83. Each feed pipe 89, 9| is controlled by a valve 93 whereby each set of burners receives the proper viously, however, means other than fuel burners may be used to heat the platens.

The fuel control valve 93 is normally opened and closed by means of a handle 94 to which the valve arm 95 is connected by a link 96 and the handle 94 also actuates through a link 91, a rockable thermo-responsive device 98 carried on an arm 99 rockable about the pivotpoint |09 on a bracket i9! on the frame. Thus when the platen 3| is in the open position shown in Figure 4, the handle 94 may be manually actuated to swing the thermo-responsive device 98 into contact with the platen 3| and at the same time open the valve 93. This thermo-responsive device 98 is connected through a tube |92 with a thermostat valve |03 by which the flow of gas through the pipe 92 is controlled dependent upon the temperature of the upper platen. It is assumed that both platens 39 and 3| will become heated to the same degree during the same time interval and hence the upper platen may be used as control by which fuel may be fed to both burners in regulated amounts by the valve |03.

In operation, the carriage 38, 3| is located upon the tracks 45 outside of the -tank 43, as shown in Figure 1,'at what is called the loading 'or charging position. Both the pins 5| and bolt 6|l fuel supply. f Obare suitably adjusted to take care of the necessary separation between the platens by'reason of the size of the work to be inserted therebetween and the top platen 3| `thrown hinged connection 4| to the position shown in Figure 3, where, if the platens are relatively close together as shown in Figure l1, the arm 86 is thrown back to permit the platens to rest on the tcp of post 85. On the other hand, if the work is of relatively great thickness so that the platens have to be spaced relatively far apart, the spindies 5| shown in Figure 5, and the arm 86 swung over on top of the post 85 to support the platens in a horizontal position over the burners, as shown in Figure 9. The handle 94 is then `actuated to open the valve 93 and at the same time swing the theimo-responsive device 99 into contact with the upper platen. After the platens 39, 3| are heated sufficiently, the Work EL -which may have back about its are adjusted to the desired degree, as y been assembled at a remote point, is placed upon the: lower platen 30 and the top platen 3| closed thereover. Preferably the top. platen 3| is heated toa higher tempera ture than the lower platen and' this may be accomplished by suitable adjustment of the Valve 93 in the two branch pipes 89, 9 vThetop. platen is then swung down upon the work and the bridge member 65 turned to extend over the ears 64 and clamp the work rmly therebetween. After a lapse of suflicient time to permit they work to be thoroughly heated by a heat interchange with the platens, the carriage is moved by actuating the handle or wheel Minto the tank 4'3 whereby the work is t0 be cooled or quenched byv aspray of water from the sprays 14. It is proposed that the valve controlling the flow of cooling liquid be automatically actuated and to this end, Figures 13 to 16, a rock shaft Ia is mounted between brackets |U|a carried with the frame of the machine. This shaft is disposed Vwithin the tank but fluid is prevented from leaki-ng through the passage therefor by surrounding the shaft with a jacket or shield |3a, |04. `At its upper end, the shaft carries an arm 86 adaptedto be engaged by an adjusting screw |01 carried on the carriage so that when the carriage strikes the arm, the shaft IUI! is rocked on its vertical axis. At the lower end, the shaft carries an arm |08 adapted to engage the stem |09 of a control valve 15 normally spring pressed to closed position. Obviously, therefore, when the carriage is retracted from the bath, the valve will automatically close and the spring swings the armV |06 outwardly preparatory to the next quenching operation.

Various modifications-will occur to those skilled in the art in the typeV of machineV used to carry out the methodof this invention in its broadest aspects as well as in the various applications of the machine to different purposes and no limitation is intended by the phraseology of the foregoing description or illustrations in the accompanying drawings, except as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:V Y

1. Apparatus for the manufacture' oi' plates from which impressions are made comprising a quenching tank; a track entering` the tank, a carriage comprising upper and lower platens, means to permit separation of the platens for insertion and removal of work, means to heat said platens when in separated relation at loading position, said carriage'being adapted to travel on the track from a Vloading position without the tank to a v quenching position within the tank.

2. Apparatus for Ythe manufacture Yof j plates fromY which impressions are made comprising a quenchingrtank, a track entering the tank, a car- Y riage'comprising Vupper and lower platens adapted toV travel on the trackfrom a loading position without the tank to a quenching position within the tank, means to heat said platens and a means responsive to the temperature of V'one platen to control said heating means.

Y3.l Apparatus for Vthe manufacture ofv plates from which impressions are made comprising a quenching tank, a track entering the tank, a carriage comprising upper and lower-platens adapted to travel on the track from a loading position without thel tank to aV quenching Yposition. within Ythe tank, means toselectively heat both lower and upper platens and a meansV to control said heat- Y ingmeans responsive to the temperature of a platen.

l V15 '4. Apparatus for the manufacture of plates` from which impressions are made comprising a quenching tank, a track. entering the tank, a carriage comprising upper and lower platens adapted Y to travel on the track from a loading position without they tank to a quenchingV position within the tank, burners to heat both lower and upper platens and a valve andl means to control said burners responsive to the Ytemperature of theupper platen. Y

-5. Apparatus for the manufacture of plates l from which impressions are made comprising a quenching tank, a track entering the tank, a carriage comprising upper and lower platens adaptedv to travel on the track from a loading position without the tank to a quenching position within the tank, burners to heat both lower and upper platens, valves to cont-rol said burners respectivelya valve to control the flowof fuel to the valves and therefore to said burners and a heat re- Y sponsive devicesmovable into heat exchange -relationshipwith a platen to operate said valve.

6. Apparatus for the `manufacture of plates` from `which' impressions are made comprising a quenching tank, a track entering the tank, a carriage comprising upper and lower platens hinged together and movable from a loading position without the tank to a quenching position within the tank, a burner adaptedto heat the lower platen in loading position, a burner without the track adapted to heat the upper platen when sition and a valve controlling the flow of fuel to thel burners and-means to control the degree of `opening of said valve, said means being controlled by. the temperature of theupper platen in open position.

y"7. Apparatus for the manufacture of platesY Vretain imparted. heat, lcooperating clamping membersV carried with the respective platensV to draw the same together and clamp the work therebetween with the application of a predeter- Vmined pressure and retain lthem in parallel relationship and' means to selectively heat the platens when in separated relation. Y Y

rfApparatus for thel manufacture of plates from which impressionsare made comprising, in combination, a lower plane heating platen, an upper plane heating platen means to adjustably hinge said platens together to permit'separation for the insertion and'removal of work, means to selectively heat the platens when in separated relation, and cooperating clamping members carried by the respective platens to draw the same together and so disposed as to distribute the pressure evenly on the work and comprising, respectively', arboss carried 4by one platen, a bolt ad- Y justably carried in said boss, abifurcated'memupper Yplane heating platen means to adjustably kmiY hinge theupper platen to the lower platen to per- V mit separation for the insertion and removal of work, means to .selectively heat the platens when in. separated relation, and cooperating clamping members carried by the respective platens to draw the same together and so disposed as to distribute the pressure evenly on the work and cornprising, respectively, a boss carried by the lower platen, a bolt adjustably 'carried in said boss, a bifurcated member carried by the upper platen to receive the bolt, a bridge assembly mounted on the bolt to overlie the biiurcated member and a nut to secure the bridge to the bolt.

10. Apparatus of the class described comprising, in combination, a lower plane platen, an upper plane platen, a hinged connection for the platens at one end to permit separation for the insertion and removal of work comprising a pin adjustably mounted in one platen formed with a slideway, a slide therein, means limiting movement of the slide in one direction, a spring urging the slide against the limiting means, and a pivoting connection between the slide and the other platen and cooperating clamping members carried by the respective platens to draw the same together and so disposed as to distribute the pressure evenly on the work and comprising, respectively, a boss carried by the lower platen, a bolt adjustably carried in said boss, a bifurcated member carried by the upper platen to receive the bolt, a bridge assembly mounted on the bolt to overlie the biiurcated member and a nut to secure the bridge to the bolt.

11. Apparatus for the manufacture of plates from which impressions are made comprising a quenching tank, a track entering the tank, a carriage comprising upper and lower platens, means to permit separation of the platens for insertion and removal of the work and means to heat the respective platens to predetermined degrees when in separated relation at loading position, said carriage being adapted to travel on the track from a loading position without the tank to a quenching position within the tank.

l2. Apparatus for the manufacture of plates from which impressions are made comprising quenching means, upper and lower platens movable as a unit from a loading position to a quenching position, a valve adapted to control the quenching means and means actuated by the platens at quenching position to control the opening of the valve.

13. Apparatus for the manufacture of plates from which impressions are made comprising a quenching tank, a track entering the tank, a carriage comprising upper and lower platens hinged together and movable from a loading position without the tank to a quenching position within the tank, means to heat the lower platen in loading position, means to heat the upper platen at loading position when moved about its hinged connection to open position, a valve controlling said heating means, a second valve controlling said heating means and therefore controlling the flow of fuel to the iirst valve and to the heating means, a heat responsive device controlling the second valve and means to open the rst valve and move the heat responsive device into heat exchange with a platen in open position.

14. Apparatus for the manufacture of plates from which impressions are made comprising a pair oi heating platens formed with plane paralle-l juxtaposed clamping faces between which the plate is held against distortion during heating and cooling, said platens being oi a thickness sufficient to retain imparted heat, the lower platen having a box at one end formed with a vertical bore and an horizontal bore opening thereinto, a spindle slidably mounted with the vertical bore, a set screw threaded in the hori- Zon-tal bore to lock the spindle in adjusted position whereby the spacing oi the platens corresponds to the thickness, a hinge member carrried with the spindle, said upper platen being hingedly connected to said hinge member and cooperating clamping members carried by the respective platens in spaced relation to the hinge member to draw the platens together.

15. Apparatus for the manufacture of plates from which impressions are made comprising a quenching tank, a track entering the tank, a carriage, means comprising upper and lower platens adapted to move from a loading position without the tank to a quenching position within the tank, burners to heat both lower and upper platens, a valve and means to control said burners responsive to the temperature of the upper platen.

JOSEPH HENRY SHEA. 

